Buick Riviera Concept Debuts in Shanghai. SPOILER: It’s a Gull-Wing

Buick has just unveiled the Riviera Concept at an evening event the night before the Shanghai Motor Show. The Shanghai GM and Pan Asia Technical Automotive Center (PATAC) joint ventures have designed a very beautiful car. The entire designed is inspired by water and the Chinese saying “The greatest good is like water.” Everything is meant to flow. You might notice that the Buick Riviera Concept has a very recognizable silhouette. It makes use of their sweepspear design that, according to Buick’s designers “has a three-dimensional effect that resembles waves in the ocean coming to a standstill for a split second.“You might also have noticed the Riviera Concept is a gull-wing. Yeah, a Buick gull-wing. I’m happy. Add in the Ice Celadon finish that is inspired by jade and an aggressive and updated take on the classic Buick waterfall grill and you get the most stunning Buick in a long, long time, if not ever. According to the nice folks at Buick, the new grill and the wing-shape running light will both become key elements to future Buick.

The water them continues inside the car as well with a fluid and organic style upholstered in cream and blue. The entire interior glows, too. Blue light emits from nearly every surface that isn’t upholstered. It’s the exact type of thing that looks cool on a concept but will never see the inside of a production car.The Buick Riviera Concept is powered by GM’s new dual-mode wireless plug-in hybrid electric vehicle propulsion system. That is really a mouthful, so just call it W-PHEV. The“wireless” comes into play when charging the batteries. You can plug them in with a traditional cable or park the Riviera Concept on a “sensory recharge panel.” Think charging mat. Rolls Royce came up with something similar a while back for a concept Phantom.Electronic goodies abound with ten high-resolution cameras and eighteen sensors that will monitor anything that might be in your path. Any obstacles are projected onto the windshield as a holographic image. A 4G LTE internet connection, night view assist, full-range adaptive cruise control, an autopilot system and “transparent” A-pillars round out the concept hoopla.

The Buick Riviera Concept previews a lot of what we will see on upcoming Buicks. If the next gen Buicks looks as good as this, I have hope for the GM brand. For the rest of the details, check out the GM press release below and photo gallery below that. Press ReleaseNew Buick Riviera Concept Vehicle Makes Global DebutMerges avant-garde aesthetics and advanced technology

SHANGHAI – The new Buick Riviera concept vehicle made its global debut this evening in Shanghai.

The coupe combines avant-garde aesthetics and advanced technology, including plug-in hybrid electric vehicle propulsion, in a single package. It is the fourth global concept vehicle jointly developed by GM’s Shanghai GM and Pan Asia Technical Automotive Center (PATAC) joint ventures in Shanghai.

“The new Riviera offers a preview of Buick’s future design language,” said Shanghai GM President Ye Yongming. “By seamlessly integrating advanced technologies, flexible functions and contemporary aesthetics, the new Riviera heralds the start of a new chapter for the 110-year-old Buick brand.”

Elegant Design Inspired by the Dynamic Nature of Water

The new Riviera’s designers took inspiration from the Chinese saying: “The greatest good is like water.” The vehicle’s sweeping design, which goes from thick to thin, has the vibrant nature of a moving river embodied in its athletic shape, elegant ambience and deeply sculpted lines.

“Riviera is a design study of the future expression of Buick design with its elegant athletic shape, sculptural beauty, and precision execution,” said Ed Welburn, GM vice president of global design. “It is a great opportunity to share Buick’s future design language and technology strategy.”

The concept’s silhouette with Buick’s recognizable “sweep spear” has a three-dimensional effect that resembles waves in the ocean coming to a standstill for a split second. Buick’s unique gull-wing doors exude a dynamic yet elegant ambience. The new Riviera has an ice celadon finish inspired by jade.

Up front, the concept vehicle’s updated waterfall grille and wing-shaped daytime running lights will both become key elements of Buick’s future design DNA.

The new Riviera has a low drag coefficient and a harmonious balance between style and performance thanks to its raked windshield, 14-degree fastback design and metallic fiber spoiler, which are complemented by active grille shutters and diffusers, and active pneumatic wheels.

The interior carries on Buick’s signature 360-degree integrated design with high levels of elegance and refinement. The eaglewood tone interior features the abundant use of refined materials such as sand-blasted aluminum alloy, lava suede and ebony used in a bold style reminiscent of traditional Chinese jade-inlaid wood. This creates a striking visual effect as well as a subdued sense of luxury.

The new Riviera’s compact yet well-structured center console, front floating seats and adaptive seating system, as well as its noise-absorbing head restraint system, represent the best combination of interior design and elegance.

Innovative Propulsion, Infotainment and Safety Technology

The new Riviera has adopted BIP (Buick Intelligent Performance) technology. It is equipped with GM’s all-new, dual-mode W-PHEV (wireless plug-in hybrid electric vehicle) propulsion system. The user can drive the car on green power in electric mode and enjoy the exhilarating handling and performance of a sports car while driving “green” in hybrid mode. In addition, the vehicle can be charged with a traditional cable or wirelessly via a sensory recharge panel on the car’s chassis. The charging port is integrated into Buick’s iconic porthole design.

The new Riviera is also equipped with intelligent four-wheel steering, an electromagnetic-controlled suspension and an air spring package for sure handling and comfort in extreme conditions.

The innovative mobile Internet system adopted in the new Riviera supports high-speed 4G LTE network use. The concept vehicle offers real-time traffic information, weather updates, and news and entertainment while communicating with other vehicles. The vehicle’s voice commands and controls along with touch and gesture recognition activate a range of vehicle systems and enable seamless interaction between driver and vehicle.

The new Riviera employs a forward-looking active safety system that collects traffic information through 10 high-resolution cameras (for image monitoring) and 18 micro high-precision sensors (for distance monitoring). The information is integrated and presented in a holographic image onto the windshield.